Rocamadour

About

In 1166, a perfectly preserved body was found in a nook in a cliff. Locals declared that it must be the remains of Saint Zacchaeus, the tax collector who was hugged by Jesus 1100 years earlier. The site became a place of pilgrimage with a large religious complex springing up on the cliff, and the town growing below as more pilgrims came. Sitting atop a 150 meter cliff, the castle ramparts offer visitors stupendous views of the valley below. The Basilica of Saint-Sauveur and the crypt Saint-Amadour, where visitors will find medieval frescoes and beautiful stained glass, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the way to Santiago de Compostela. However, the jewel of the sanctuary is the 9th century Black Virgin, housed in one of the 7 chapels built in the hollow of the rock.